Before I could start filling up my new recipe book, I had to make a cover page and gather some materials that I’ll need for this project.
I started by going to Michael’s to get a small multimedia book, pencil crayons, an assortment of pink paper, and some paper doilies. I plan to use the pencil crayons for create drawings of the food I make; The pink paper is to use for the background of the pages; and the paper doilies are to use for decoration on the pages.
I also stopped my the thrift store to look at magazines and picked up an old recipe book with great baking pictures, and a music workbook. I love the look of sheet music, so I am hoping to use some for the background of some of the pages.
My cover page process started with wrapping the page with a blue gingham fabric that I had in my craft basket. I love gingham patterns, so I have been collecting some as I see them in stores. After folding over the edges I covered the back with a piece of light pink paper to create a more finished look.
I then had to decide how to make the title, the verdict was cross-stitch. I have done small and big cross-stitch projects before so I am familiar with the skill and the process of designing a pattern. The tool that I use is FlossCross, an online pattern creator that has all the DMC thread colours for easy physical re-creation. Once I planned out the pattern I got started on stitching it onto a piece of off-white 14-count Aida cloth I had from a previous project. After stitching the pattern I glued it to the blue gingham cover page and added some lace as a finishing touch.
I love cross-stitch because of the finished look and I find it the process of it very peaceful. If you are new to cross-stitch or want to try it out, here is a great tutorial on the two main cross-stitch methods that I found useful when I first started:
This video explains the main cross-stitch methods, but there are lots of other great videos on youtube that explain how to start or finish a row of stitching in more detail.
Overall, I am really happy with the way the cover turned out. When I take on new craft projects I often get disappointed when my end product doesn’t meet my expectations. While I may have big ideas, my actual skills are sometimes not enough to recreate them the way they are in my head. So for this cover page I wanted to make something that showed off my personality and preferences but was still simple.
Now that the cover is done I am ready and excited to get started with my baking and crafting. Stay tuned for my next post on my classic chocolate chip oatmeal cookies!
— Sofia 🎀
